This is how I scratch built Trim's Fighting Machine, one day I may finish it

Step 1. get hold of Trim's FM Blueprints, not difficult, they are posted on eveofthewars main site

Step 2. The main body. The best thing to do here, if you want to try and make one of these is print out the blueprint below and stick it to a piece of card about 1mm thick. you will see that the lines and dotted lines are of different colours, cut along the blue dotted lines but not the red dotted lines they are a gluing guide only, I'll explain the green lines when we get to them.

I said yesterday "I think I took photos of this model in progress" If I did they are still in my camera. and after 10 years or so I doubt the film is any good.

This is where you find out what the green lines are for, if you are using 1mm card you will have to trim half the thickness of the card off each cut-out part i.e. 0.5mm, along the green line otherwise when you assemble the parts with the 5 ribs in place your model will be 5mm too long. This doesn't sound too bad but believe me it will screw everything up Step 3. Assembling the skeleton.
Cut out the base and lay it on a flat surface, cut out the ribs and remove the half the thickness of the card from the green line. starting at the front of the base, super-glue Rib 1 to the first red dotted line (it's best just to put a spot of glue at each end of the bottom of the rib until you are happy with your positioning) make sure your ribs are at 90 degrees to the base. keep adding ribs and the middle spacers along the back as shown in Assembly stage 2 then do the underside as in Assembly stage 3.
Most of it is common sense and if you haven't got any common sense what are you doing trying to make this model?

Step 4. Using liquid super-glue (not super-glue gel) pour a little on the edge of the cardboard, this will make the cardboard as hard as wood. (WARNING: Do this in a well ventilated area and don't breath the white vapour that comes off as the glue sets)

step 5 / 6. Cut blocks of expanded polystyrene to fit between the ribs. use the hardest, densest polystyrene you can find. (polystyrene from heavy electrical goods is usually best) make sure the polystyrene blocks are not to tight, you don't want to distort the cardboard ribs. Glue the blocks in with epoxy resin glue do not use super-glue it will only melt the polystyrene.

Step 7. using a sharp knife cut away the excess polystyrene and then with a flexible foam sanding block sand away and smooth the surface until the tops of the ribs are at the same level as the polystyrene as shown in Assembly stage 7

Step 8. Adding Milliput or a similar Epoxy Putty.
Mix up some Milliput and leave it for about 45 minutes. roll it out to about 1mm thick, the best way to do this is put a sheet of polythene on a smooth surface lay a pieces of 1mm cardboard on the left of the polythene and one on the right put your Milliput in the middle and lay another sheet of polythene on top then using a rolling pin or a bottle roll out your Milliput the cardboard will maintain the 1mm thickness.
Because the Milliput has been mixed for a while it should be a little leathery. this is what you want, it is still flexible enough to adapt to the curves of the model but tough enough not to pick up finger prints.
Apply a little epoxy glue to the surface of the polystyrene where you are going to add the Milliput, just to help it stick. cut you putty into strips wide enough to fit between the ribs and long enough to go from the spine of the Fighting Machine to the belly smooth it on with a wet finger.

Step 9. Repeat this until the entire model is covered as in the Assembly stage 9 picture. it is important you do not loose sight of the centre line on the hood section, you see I have marked it with a dot at the top and bottom.

Step 10. Marking in the centre line on the hood.
Stretch a piece of cotton from one dot to the other and mark the centre line back in, you will need this for adding the eye/hood holes.

Step 11. Marking out the eye/hood holes.
Taking measurements from Trim's original blueprints mark out the hood hole. it's best to do just one side of the center line trace it onto paper, cut it out, flip the paper over and draw around it on the other side of the line.

Step 12. Cutting out the hole for the Eyes/Hood.
When the Milliput has set, using a sharp knife or modeling scalpel cut through the Milliput into the polystyrene beneath. do not cut on the lines you have drawn but 2 or 3mm inside it and carefully trim back to the lines, cut about 4mm off the exposed cardboard centre rib, this is because the cleft between the eyes is lower than the body's surface.

Step 13. Using Trim's blueprints measure from the centre spine/rib to the edge of the plate that runs the length of the body and copy these measurements onto the model as shown in Assembly stage 13.

Step 14. Marking out the Eyes/Hood hole rim.
Taking measurements from the blueprints mark out the rim around the Eyes/Hood hole.

Step 15. Adding the rim.
Make sure the surface of the hood around the hole is clean and grease free. mix up some Milliput and leave it for about 45 minutes and roll it out as before except this time make it 2mm thick and cut it into a long strip the same width as the rim you have just drawn.
Starting at the top-middle gently lay the putty around the hole. (do not press it down yet) With a blunt instrument such as the handle of a tea-spoon or a lolly stick push the putty around until you can just see the pencil lines below, then with a wet finger gently press the putty down and smooth the edges.

Step 16. Finishing off the rim.
When it has set mix up a very small quantity of putty and extend the rim at the back of the eyes/hood as in Assembly stage 16 picture.
When set smooth everything off with Fine wet & dry emery paper.

I have taken measurements from the blueprints of the undercarriage but you will see in the first picture my tracing doesn't go all the way to the bottom of the image, all will become clear.
I am using cardboard of different thicknesses, some parts need to be ridged others flexible and some very flexible. so I'm using card and paper.

Step 17. When you have cut all the parts out, lay the paper part on a flat surface and stick the two 1mm cardboard parts to it using P.V.A glue,(as shown in Assembly stage 17) then apply P.V.A glue to the 0.25mm part, that's the part with the two rectangular holes cut in it, and stick it to the paper so the back edge of the card lines up with the grey dotted line on the paper and glue the two 1mm rectangles to one of the side panels on top of the grey dotted lines as shown in Assembly stage 18, the thin one goes at the front and the thick one at the back. leave to dry.
And if you understood all that, Well done If you didn't then just follow the pictures, it's easier.

Step 19.
Fold the side panels up so they are vertical, if you have got all your measurements right the front support strut inside should touch the other side panel and the bottom and should be flush with the top, Super-glue it in place, (DO NOT GLUE THE BACK ONE YET)Now gently curl the front section up to meet the side panels Super-gluing as you go, it will try to crease where the holes are, don't let it, this bit must be smooth.

Step 20. Creating the curved underside.
Gently squeeze the side panels together till the support strut at the back meets the other panel, the paper underneath should bulge down (if it doesn't help it with a blunt instrument like the blunt end of a pencil) Super-glue strut in position.

Step 21. Super-glue the 0.25mm end panel on the back making sure it is flush with the top of the side panels, this should leave the card too long at the bottom , don't cut it off yet, it's useful for keeping the undercarriage standing upright.
The compartments between the front support strut and the back panel must be watertight so run a little Super-glue around the joins just to make sure.

Step 22. Pouring Resin.
I'm using Polyester glass fibre resin mixed with Polyester car body filler, add a little hardener and pour it into the central compartment it will flow into the rear compartment but shouldn't go any further. stop pouring about 1mm from the top.

Step 23.
When the resin has set you can trim off the corners of the End panel and smooth it off with emery paper, if it starts the tear put a little Super-glue on it and smooth again.
Your undercarriage should look something like this and should fit snugly to the underside of the body.

Step 24.
It's best to mark on the body exactly where the undercarriage is going to go before reaching for the Super-glue.

Step 25.
When you are happy with the position hold in pace and carefully drip Super-glue into the join and it should run along the join by capillary action, its a lot neater than running the glue nozzle along the entire join.
Fill any spaces and smooth the front of the undercarriage into the bottom of the Hood rim with Milliput.
And then cut these undercarriage features out of 0.25 card.

I wondered how long it would be before you found this thread I'm trying to make it out of stuff you can pick up from any D.I.Y store, (yes, even Milliput can be bought from D.I.Y stores you will find it in the plumbing department, ask for epoxy putty) So anyone can have a go.

Step 26.
Stick the cutout Undercarriage features as shown using P.V.A glue

Step 27.Making the side pods
I am using the original number 1 rib template to create a negative template, this template won't be used but it will help to create the concavity for the pod, that matches the body's convexity (All will become clear). You will see I haven't taken the blue dotted line all the way to the outline of the pod on Trim's blueprints, I have left 1mm short to allow for 1mm of Milliput.
Cutting out the Pod templates is quite tricky, they are small and accuracy is important here.
Assemble the parts (they are marked Left & Right to help you) do not glue them yet.

Step 28. Offering Up.
Offering up, this means trying something in position to see if you've got it right. So Offer up the assembled pod template to make sure all the parts of the templates touch the main body and at the same time, that the front vertical cutout template is parallel to the join line at the back of the hood. When you are happy with the positioning, super-glue all parts of the template together (Don't glue it to the body).

Step 29.
Fill all the spaces with polystyrene using epoxy resin to glue them in (the same as you did with the body)
Sand paper the polystyrene back to the cardboard, remember to keep offering up to check you are not removing too much.
You can see I have drawn in the outline of the hole in the front of the pod, Trim's blueprints are a bit vague here so I used the 'THUNDER CHILD' painting for a clearer idea.(I always thought this hole was the Black Smoke canister launcher, but 'H_C' tells me they are orange lights, Though I don't know why a FM would need turn indicators )

Step 30.
Offer up again to make sure there isn't any bits of polystyrene preventing the pod from going home.

Step 31.
Pop down to your local super market and find one of those small plastic fizzy drink bottles, the type with the rounded blisters on the base, the rounder the better. Slice a couple of these blisters off (Make sure the bottles empty first ).

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